Digital Preservation: Store & Protect

Digital Preservation: Store & Protect

Laurie SauerInformation Technologies Librarian

Knox [email protected]

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=295

• IDENTIFY the types of digital content you have.• SELECT what portion of your digital content will be

preserved.

• STORE your selected content for the long term.

• PROTECT your content from everyday threats and emergency contingencies.

• MANAGE and implement requirements for long term management.

• PROVIDE access to digital content over time.

Steps

Entrance to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norwayhttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Svalbard_seed_vault_IMG_8750.JPG

Digital objects may be stored, but are they being preserved?

Characteristics of well-managed and well-preserved collections:• Multiple copies in at least 2 locations• Common (or normalized) file formats• Basic information about each deposit - Minimal

metadata for objects (you define)• Controlled and known storage of content

Digital Preservation Outreach & Education

Well-managed Collections

Number of Copies


How many copies are enough for you?• Minimum: 2 copies in two locations• Optimum: 6 copies

Storage factors:• Video files are too large to store 6 copies• Possible legal restrictions• Types of media used for storing the content

Types of files

• Common or normalized file formats• Uncompressed or lossless compression

• Non-proprietary formats

Common or Normalized File Formats

Follow recommendations set by leading organizations

• NARA’s Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Archival Materials for Electronic Access – TIFF format is the “ ‘De facto’ raster image format used for master files.”

http://www.archives.gov/preservation/technical/guidelines.html

• Sustainability of Digital Formats Planning for Library of Congress Collections -- The MP3 sound file format is “Generally used for final-state, end-user delivery.” And, “General preference for preservation-oriented recorded sound is WAVE_LCPM. For compressed sound, MP3 is acceptable, especially at data rates of 128 Kb/s (mono) or 256 Kb/s (stereo) or higher.”

http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/index.shtml

file+ metadata

digital object

Maize seed samples, CIMMYT germplasm bankhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cimmyt/5888068498/


Metadata: Data About Data• How do you know what an object is?

Metadata uniquely identifies digital objects

• How do you use content in the future?Metadata makes digital objects understandable

• How do you know an object is authentic?Preservation metadata allows objects to be traced over time


Metadata uniquely identifies

digital objects

From the Tropicos database, Missouri Botanic al Gardenhttp://www.tropicos.org/Image/26968

Metadata makes digital objects understandable for the future

Secale cereale L. Cereal rye

http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SECE

How do you know an object is authentic?

Different hash means the file has changed


One-Way Encryption b43efderwkl3jh7834

One-Way Encryption 845kjsnlkdrkjhndgiu5

Fixity checking allows you to know if a file has changed over time.

Exercise: Consider Metadata• How do you know what an object is?

Metadata uniquely identifies digital objects

• How do you use content in the future?Metadata makes digital objects understandable

• How do you know an object is authentic?Preservation metadata allows objects to be traced

over time

Storage Media Options• Offline (CDs, tape)*• Online, nearline • Hosted, collaborative services (e.g.

MetaArchive)• Cloud storage


Australia plants seeds in Norway's doomsday vaulthttp://www.theage.com.au/environment/australia-plants-seeds-in-norways-doomsday-vault-20110111-19mpm.html

Cloud Storage• Seek reviews, ask colleagues about their

experiences with services• Decide which files to include in the backup• Test the system regularly

What drives storage decisions?• Immediate Costs

– Quantity (size and number of files)

– Number of copies

– Media (life span, availability)

• Other resources

– Expertise (skills required to manage)

– Services (local vs. hosted)

– Partners (achieving geographic distribution)

• Institutional constraints (e.g., legal restrictions)


Organization matters!• Create a directory

structure that is meaningful

• Group like things together• Consider how you (or

your successor) will want to find things in the future

• Keep separate record of metadata

Gene Banks Pay Big Dividends to Agriculture, the Environment, and Human Welfare Johnson RC PLoS Biology Vol. 6, No. 6, e148 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060148


Store: Action Items

• Begin applying appropriate metadata to the files you will be storing

• Organize files + metadata (objects)• Determine a budget for your storage needs• Investigate storage media and services, e.g.,

external hard drives, cloud storage

• IDENTIFY the types of digital content you have.• SELECT what portion of your digital content will be

preserved.• STORE your selected content for the long term.

• PROTECT your content from everyday threats and emergency contingencies.

• MANAGE and implement requirements for long term management.

• PROVIDE access to digital content over time.

Steps

What are we protecting content from?

• Change and loss – accidental and intentional• Obsolescence – as technology evolves• Inappropriate access – e.g., confidential data• Non-compliance – standards and requirements• Disasters – emergencies of all kinds


Storage media can fail or go obsolete.

Things can go wrong!

http://www.returntofilm.com/index.php/2010/04/

Everyday Protection


• Know where your content is located

Onsite and offsite; online and offline

• Know who can have access to it

DP staff, IT staff, others?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/libbyrosof/2592450371/

Readiness

Proper planning should allow you to:• Prevent – undesirable outcomes• Predict – most likely risks and threats • Detect – errors, problems, damage• Respond – with appropriate measures• Repair – damage or possible loss


Risk Management

Steps to protect your content:• Identify possible risks• Define those risks (nature and scope)• Assess potential impact (possible damage)• Develop appropriate, feasible responses (plans)• Respond to risks, threats (implement plans)


Disaster Planning Resources


Action Items

• Document steps taken to protect your digital content—have a plan!

• Create policies regarding who can access your stored digital content

• Include in your disaster plan steps to respond to an emergency surrounding your digital content

All images used in this presentation were used with permission.

Laurie SauerInformation Technologies

LibrarianKnox College

[email protected]

Thank you!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sunflower_seedlings.jpg

mailto:[email protected]

Digital Preservation: Store & Protect

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